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' r- 3, 31 G. o. FROSTAD ET AL 1,790,910

FEED FOR DISKS OR THE LIKEv Filed April 6, 1928 5 Sheets-Sheetl Feb. 3,1931. G. o. FROSTAD ET AL 1,790,910

FEED FOR DISKS OR THE LIKE Filed April 6} 1928 s Sheets-Sheet -2.IHI..III.,,II 5h .W, .1 lalwmllll HHM I 1 II B .U Hii a. v ml ll M J onv v a m Ft 6 m m? I O I v I v n Q mar M MW Q\ Q QM. mfi /Q.@ A L H? i b.H Ill. h w n ow vm mm kn mu a Q$ 1931- e, o. FROSTAD ET AL 1,790,910

FEEDFOR DISKS OR THE LIKE Filed April 6, 1928 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 Cluv/Elnora? M Q $4M 241M a W, WM, g fwwxm Patented Feb. 3, 1931 UNITEDSTATES PATET OFFICE" GEORGE o. FROSTAID AND JAMES E; AnNEN, orMILWAUKEE, Wisconsin, ASSIGNORS TO THE NATIONAL PAPER can COMBAEY, orMILWAUKEE, Wisconsin, A. CORPORA- TION OF WISCONSIN I Application medApril 6, 1928. Serial No. 267,879.

This invention relates tofeeds for disks of paper or the like, and isherein particularly" 7 means for punching disks from a paper strip,

fla'nging the same, and forcing them into the open end of a preformedcan body. The

10' can body and the flange are thereafter rolled together to form ajoint.

In certain cases, it is desired to have the printed matter appear on thedisk forming the can end. It is difiicult to insure continuous registryof the punching die with printed matter appearing at intervals on apaper strip, and it is therefore desirable to preform and print thedisks and feed them individ- V I 'we provide for varying the positionof'the ually to the machine. In other cases, it may be desired forvarious reasons to feed unprinted disks to the machine.

The disks employed are relatively thick and stiff as comparedwithordinary paper. They are usually of relatively heavy stock,impregnated with paraflin. Their edges are generally slightly burred,dueto the die cutting operation. The disks therefore tend to resistsliding of one over the other, thus making ordinary feed devicesimpracticable. The disks are frequently warped or wrinkled.

We provide a feed mech anism wherein the disks are supported in stack.The feeding is from'the bottom of the stack-so that the supply of disksmay be renewed Without stopping the machine. lVe' provide suction meansfor drawing the bottom disk again-st the supporting plate, therebyeliminating the ir regularities in feeding which ordinarily arise 40from the wrinkled condition of the material. pusher for sliding thebottom disk out from under the stack. Means is also provided forrifliing the stack so as to remove any tendency of the disks to adhere.This tendency arises from the burs formed on the disk edges by thepunching operation. We employ a separating finger spaced far enough fromthe support to permit [passage of the bottom disk in ,t the stack, butholding the remainder of the stack in cheek; Supplemental means is promembers having o preferably employ a reciprocating rnnn roe. DISKS onTEE LIKE vided beyond the fingers for feeding thedisks forward. 1 Thissupplemental means preferably comprises a pair of constantly driven feedrolls; 1 i

Regardless of'whether-a disk feeding device isfemployed in connectionwith a'can making machine or in some other combination, it is generallyimpossibleto employ feed means which will carry the disk .to itsultimate I destination. e thereforeprovide for feeding one disk forwardby engaging it witha succeeding disk. In this manner,=the. disk fed maybe spaced from the disk consuming device, thereby making'it easy toadjust. At

the same time, there is no necessity for complicated mechanism foradvancing the disks 1 to their final position.

Since one disk is "fed forward by another,

disk feeding device relative .t'o'the disklcon- 'suming device. It isdesirable to. maintain a substantially continuous supporting surfacealong the entire path ,of the disks, and we therefore employ a pair ofsupporting interengaging fingers. These fingers may be moved into or outof engagement with one another in varying amounts,uso as to provide asubstantially smooth "and continuous supporting table of varying length.A top guide is providedfor to insurethat the edges of the leading diskand the one which is pushing it forward will not overlap. Thistop' guidepreferably eX- tends from the feed rolls to the disk consuming deviceand is therefore made adjustable as to length. It is'further providedwith yielding means whereby .it exerts a slight pressure on the top ofthe disks y The disk feeding device is'arranged to be holding the feddisks againstthe table so as driven from the diskgconsuming device, so

that the twounits operatein timed relation.

While we have described the feeding meche anism in connection with paperdisks, it is to be understood that it is applicable for use inconnection with othervmaterial and with machines otherithan can formingmachines, and that such uses are contemplated w thout departing from thescope of the invention,

the accompanying drawingswhich illuser rollersD'may supply a strip ofpaper to,

trate the present preferred embodiment of our invention,

Figure 1 is a sectional View of a feeding machine embodying ourinvention;

Figure 2 is a plan view thereof taken along the section line 'I'III ofFigure 1;

FigureSis a side elevation ofthe machine shown in Figure 1;

Figure 4 is a view. partially in elevation and partially in section,taken along the section line IVIV of Figure 3;

Figure 5 is a plan view taken along the section line VV of Figure 3; and

Figure 6 isan' enlarged sectional view of a portion of the feedermechanism shown in Figure '1'. V H We provide a feeding mechanism A forfeeding paper disks to a cam driven plunger B for shaping and insertingthem into cylindrical can bodies,'and a vacuum system C forcontrolling'the movement of the disks. Feedrthe'plunger B from whichdisks are punched. The movementrof the feedingmechanism A, plunger Band'the rollers D are coordinated by an interconnecting mechanism E.

The feeding mechanism A for feeding "paper disks to the plunger Bcomprises a base 2, supported in part by a standard 4,

-and in part'by a plate 5,'secured by bolts 6 to the plunger mechanismB. Standards 7 are adj ustably mounted in slots 8 in the base 2andcooperate with a standard :9 for supporting a stack of paper disks 10.The standard' 9"is a'djustably'supported on a frame '11, carried by thebase 2by a set screw The lower end ofthe' standard 9 is spaced from "thebase 2 a sufficient-distance to. permit but asingle disk '10 to passtherebeneath at any 'time'into engagement with feed :rollers 13, mountedin theframe 11.

'A rack 14'is mounted in a slot 15, centrally disposed at the center ofthe base 2. The

' rack 14-carrie'sa plate 16, that engages the outer edge ofthe lowerdisk 10 duringthe feeding operation, As is shown-in FigHI- 2, -theFrac'k14 maybe provided with a plurality of :plates 16 ands-16", dependingupon'the diameter of the disks 10. The plate 16 havdng asloping portion17 is secured'to the'rack,

14hy screws 18.

Referring-toFigure 6, the plate 16 engages the rear edgeof the'lowerdisk 10 and advances it during theoperation ofthe feeding mechanism A,at'which time "the plate 16 slides beneath the stack of disks 10 and:rif-

flesthem,therebyfreeing the lower disk :10

- from the stack'preparatory toa subsequent feeding operation.

Thebase2 is provided with-a chamber19 that'surround's the slot 15, towhich aipipe 20,

- plate 16.

vided with a plurality of openings constituting ports disposed above thechamber 19. The ports 23 permit a gripping action of the disks 10, asthey move along the base 2, thereby flattening them and holding themtightly in position to beengaged by the rollers 13.

At one end of the chamber 19, t-here is disposed a suction gripper 25,constituted by a block 26, that is upwardly biased'by a spring 27fin'order that the outer face of the block 26, which is provided with a port28, shall engage the advancing disk and draw it firmly against the plate22, in order that a positive engagement may be made between it and therollers 13. As the edges of the disks 10 may carry burrs,'it isimportant that provision be made for insuring-that-the advancing edgesstroying-the synchronism of the feeding mechanismwith respect totheplunger.

The rack 14isactuated by'a pinion 29, car- 'ried by a'shaft30, that is,in turn, actuatedi:

by a pinion 31, engagingarack 32, slidably *mounted in the base 2 andconnected to a link-3f4, constituting za'portion of the interconnectmginechamsni-E. Accordingly, .as

the link '34 is moved forwardly andback ji .wardly, the plates 16- and18are given a reciprocating motion that-advances-tl e lowest disk'10 andrifiles'the remaining diskspreparatory to the next advancing stroke *ofthe Referring to Figures '3 and 4,?the feed rollcrs 13 are-continuouslydrivenby a chain connected tothe lower roller 13, provided with agear-:36, meshing. with a gear 3'? on the upperiroller.

A tensioningdevice 38, having a sprocket 39,"is mounted-tontheplungermechanism B.

Thetensi'on on-the rollers 37 is controlled by springs 40and thumbscrews 41, carried by the frame 11. p V 'Asthe disks 1O -are advanced tothe rollers 13, they pass'therethroughand are engaged by a guide'42andsupported' by an adjustable table 44,-the position of which iscontrolled by 'a sp'ring i45,'a set screw 46 and a lug 47', carried -bythe plunger B. tween tl1et-able44 and the guide 42 may be The distancebevaried in accordance withthe'depth of the disks 10. As thc'diskslO aremoved over the, table 44in accordance withithe movement of the diskthrough the rollers 13, the "table 44 is adjusted in accordance with thediameter of the disks, and-to insure that a-disk 10 is movedover:the'table 44 into the plungermechanism Biin synchronism with themovement of a new-disk 10 through the rollers 13.

For this purpose,theguide 42 is provided with slots 48 and bolts 49, andthe table 44 is carriedbyerods 50,-t he position of which or en] ingfingers 58 carried by the table 44, to ac- Q commodate for theadjustment of the position of the table as relative to the base Qand toprovide a continuous surface over which the disks may travel.

head B comprises an outer barrel 54, carrying a die 55, at its bottomfor stamping disks from paper when fed from the rollers D, as isdescribed in our copending application. Within the barrel 5A is mounteda. sleeve 56,

carr in a unch 57 that coo erates with the Y 2: P P

die for punching paperdisks from paper fed by the rollers D. VVithinthesleeve 56, aplunger 58 is mounted that terminates in a ram 59, havingastripper 60 carried by a rod 61 extending longitudinally thereof. Aspring 62 normally biases the stripper 60 in a downward position withrespect to the plunger 58. The sleeve 56, plunger 58 and rod 61 are allactuated by severalrollers 64- positioned in the grooves in the camfaces 62.

The construction of the several face cams 62 and their sequenceofoperation is fully described in our copendingapplication and the Idescrlption is not repeated'in the present apc plication, since thedetails thereof constitute no part of the present invention except asthe operation of the plunger mechanism B effects the operation of thefeeding mechanism A.

In the operation of the plunger mechanism B, the sleeve 56 is moveddownwardly to strike out a disk of paper within the die 55.

The disk is then pressed into the body of a can held by a mandrel on anendless conveyor. After the paper disk has been driven into the canbody, the ram 59 is withdrawn and the can is held by the stripper (30.After the ram 59 has been retrieved to its initial osition the strii er60 is withdrawn b i the action of the spring 62.

A feeding mechanism 1) comprises rollers- 65 and adpistable rollers 66,each of which has a cam surface fer feeding a continuous strip of paperto the plunger mechanism B when it is desired to pun-ch out the disksduring the operation of the plunger mechanism. For certain classes ofwork, it is diflicult to secure perfect registry of the die 55 withprinted matter on the paper being fed to the plunger, and under suchcircumstances, it may be desirable to feed the preshaped disks to theplunger mechanism 13' by the feeding mechanism AJ The roller 65 isdriven by a chain 66 from a pulley 67, carried by a shaft 68 that drivesthe cam faces 62. A tensiondevice 69 is provided for the chain 66. Thelink 34 is eccentrically mounted on to the roller 65, and accordinglythe driving mechanism for the plunger B actuates the feeding mechanism Dand the feeding mechanism A.

eating As the roller 65 turns,it imparts a reciprothat istransmittedtothe plate 16'for feeding disks lO' into the rollers insynchronism withthe movement of thefplunger mecha -nism B. As eachsuccessive disk passes motion to'the link34and the rack 35 7 through therollers 13,it crowds-the-pre- In the operation of the feeding mechanism,a pile of disks 10 are placed between the supports 7 and 9. The supplyof' disks 10 may be renewed continuously without interrupting theoperation of the feeding mechanism.

As the";plunger' mechanism B is o-operate'd,

the reciprocating" motion is transmitted to the rack 32 and. the rack lhwitha'fresult that'with'the stroke of the latter,'tl1e l0wer disk 10 isadvanced into-eng with the feed rollers.13.' g r ceding' disk into thedie 55, belowthe ram 59. v The plunger mechanism or cap forming overwhich it is advanced.- J-By'reason of the location of the suctiongripper 24, theadvancing edge of each diskflO is 'firnily held inposition to be positively-engaged by'the rollers 13 uponthe initialengagement therewith, thereby eliminatingany tendency for the feedingmechanism to get out'of step with i the plunger'mechanism Bfor to-in'jur e the edges'of the disks 10 byim'p'roved" engagement with therollers 13-;

Ne have provided a feeding-mechanism for supplying paper disks to a canmaking machine that'ischaracterized by the u'se'of a vacuum system forinsuring thateach disk shall be brought into positive engagement withthe feeder "rolls, thereby eliminating any unnecessary loss offtime inthe feeding operation due to failure of the feeding rolls to immediatelyengage the advancing disks. At the same time, a positive feed insuresperfeet synchronism between the operation of the feeder rolls and theplunger to which the disks are fed. Provision is made for using thefeeding mechanism for disks'of different diameters by providing platesof different lengths and radii of curvature corresponding to thecurvature of disksof different diameter, and "an adjustable table isinterposed between the feed rolls and the plunger. Another importantfeature of our invention is the lug that rifiles the stack of disksduring each feeding operation, thereby freeing the lower diskpreparatory to disengagement With the feeding plate. The positioning ofthe gripper in close proximity to the feed rolls also assists ininsuring positive feed action. The'provision of a vacuum system inconnection with feed mechanism removes any dirt or lint that may befreed While We have described our invention in connection with'thefeeding of paper disks topapercan forming machines, it is to beunderstood-that'it is adaptable for uses in connection Withmaterialsother than paper and with machinery'other than can forming machinery,and that the use of the feeding mechanism for such purposes iscontemplated Without departing from thescope of the appended claims.

We claim: v 1. In a suction gripper, a body portion having a porttherein adapted to cooperate ith-material passing the gripper, andresilient means for advancingthe -body -portion into engagement with thematerial passing thereover. g g 2. Ina feeder mechanism, the comb nat onWith a base member and-a-pai'r offeed rolls, of a material supportingtable comprising a plurality of fingers extending outwardly from thebase member and-a body portion having fingers intermeshing With thefingers extending'frozntheb-ase member and means foradjustingtherelative positions of the base-and body. I 3.'In-aieedermechanism forsupplying blankstoa-head'forming machine, the combination with acontinuously driven roller and means for periodically delivering asingle blank to the; rollers, and means for guiding the movement of theblanks past the roller and directing-a preceding blank into engagementWith theheadforming machine; 1 r

4. A feeding table comprising arack movable-longitudinally thereof,aplate carried by the rackfor engaging materialand a-recess, a slotin-thetable,-connecting means between the raekand plate movable in the slot,and achamber formed in the feeder bedsurrounding a portion of the slot,the roof of the chamber being provided with a plurality of portsdisposed-along the path of movement of the material and means forcreating a partial vacuum inthe chamber whereby the material-iis held infirm engagementWvi-th the table during the movement of the ;plate.

ln-tes'timony-whereof We-have hereunto set ourhands. o .o a o J GEORGEON FBO STAD. JAMES EFANNEN.

